Title: Blind Love
Author: Kishan Paul
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
She doesn’t need a hero. But a sexy Marine…that’ll work.
At twenty nine, psychologist Lauren Baxter has a successful counseling practice. Since becoming legally blind at fifteen, her world has been a blurry mess of colors. Her greatest fear is also her ultimate reality. One day that fuzzy realm will forever turn black. Refusing to let blindness define her, she builds a life for herself with her dog, Jack Sparrow, and best friend, Sunny Daye.
Lauren has no tolerance for pity or for Superman swooshing down and rescuing her. She is capable of saving herself just fine. That is until Gabe, the great smelling, former Marine, from Texas moves in next door. Her attraction to him is immediate and, unfortunately for her, mutual.
When Lauren’s ex-husband shows up begging for another chance, she is confused and fragile. She also finds herself in the arms of her secretive neighbor. Little does she realize that her decision for a steamy roll in the hay with Gabe will suck her into his mysterious past, thrust her ex-husband back into her life, put her in the middle of a murder investigation, and place her life in danger.
Gabriel Briggs has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Short term flings are all he can afford for more reasons than one – reasons he never plans to share. Until he moves in next door to the beautiful, green eyed, feisty, Lauren. One night with her and he’s reconsidering promises he made almost a decade ago. When a woman from his past is murdered, his world is turned upside down. Secrets are revealed and innocent lives are threatened. Can Gabe win Lauren’s love and save her life before it’s too late?
Product Warnings: Contains a blind therapist who doesn’t consider herself impaired; a meddling, erotic-novel-writing best friend; a hot ex-Marine with a shady past; and a loyal guide dog that howls “I love you” and is probably the sanest one of the bunch.
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Excerpt: Her chocolate German shepherd, Jack Sparrow, nudged her
leg as soon as she approached the front door. After rubbing his neck, she
grabbed hold of his harness and stepped outside.
A beautiful mix of greens
and blues touched with red swirled around her. After several blinks, her eyes
adjusted to the brightness. She pointed in the direction of the neighboring
townhome.
“Jack, Mrs. Rourke’s
door.” A pang of guilt ran through her. She and her former neighbor had been
close until Lauren placed her in a nursing home. It was one of the hardest
things she’d ever done, but when an eighty-five-year-old woman sat in one’s
kitchen butt naked talking about the weather, it left few options.
Jack tried to warn her
but she ignored him and sent the poor dog to the backyard. She cringed at the
memory of Mrs. Rourke’s bare skin under her hands when she hugged the old
woman; it was one she wouldn’t soon forget. Since the episode, Lauren made a
concerted effort to pay better attention to her guide dog’s whimpers and barks.
Together they made their
way across the lawn. Once at the door, Jack sat down and waited for her to do
the rest. Taking a deep gulp of fresh Denver air, she held it for a few seconds
before slowly releasing.
Calm and patient.
That’s the person I am and that’s the person he’ll see.
Lauren felt the wall for
the doorbell and pressed the plastic control. A few dozen doorbell presses
later, realization hit. If he’s banging
away in there, how’s he going to hear the doorbell? She slammed her
knuckles into the wood for what seemed like an eternity but still no response.
Okay, time for Plan B. Since her home connected to the demolition
man’s, they shared a common backyard.
“Jack. Home.”
He rose, maneuvering them
back. Together, they marched into their townhouse, through the living room, and
out the backdoor. Jack guided them across the lawn, straight to the offender’s
patio. She banged her knuckles against the glass pane. After they were raw and
felt like they were on fire, his hammering stopped. A few minutes later, she
heard the sound of plastic blinds shifting. Lauren plastered on her biggest
smile and waved. Metal slid against wood and the door opened.
The faint smell of
sandalwood mixed with cedar filled her lungs. It was the same scent she’d
gotten whiffs of the past four weeks since he’d moved in.
“Can I help you?” His
soft Southern drawl flowed through her skin, warming her face. The image of a
shirtless man in a cowboy hat and jeans leaning against the doorjamb popped
into her head. For a moment, she forgot why she’d come.
“Umm, hi, I’m Lauren.”
“Hello, Lauren.” The
amusement in his voice pulled her out of her cowboy fantasy.
Jack nudged her leg,
reminding her they were there on business, not to drool. “I live in the
townhouse next to yours.”
“I see you two jogging
the park in the evenings.” From the angle of his voice, he sounded about six
feet tall. She could hear the smile in his words. When he shifted his weight,
the doorjamb squeaked. She wondered if his shoulder leaned against it, like the
half-naked cowboy in her head.
Thank God I changed out of my onesie.
“They have some nice
jogging trails.” Her voice came out husky and she caught herself playing with
her hair when she responded.
What the hell?
Lauren dropped her arm
and grabbed a fistful of her jeans to curb her need to twirl, flick or touch
her hair—or him for that matter.
“I maht have to try them out.”
Maht? Yup, definitely a country boy. Images of tight jeans and cowboy
hats filled her thoughts.
He cleared his throat.
“Would you like to come in?”
Her heart thudded and her
palms moistened at the prospect.
Yes…
“No, I wanted to ask a
favor.”
“A favor?” The evil man
continued his flirty tone, successfully melting her organs. “What kind of…favor?” The way he said the word had her
brain exploring all the inappropriate things he could do with her—for her.
Stop it! You are stronger than this. Focus.
Lauren cleared her throat
for the hundredth time. “I work from home and spend most of the day on the
phone with clients.”
He chuckled. “Ahh. So
putting in crown molding isn’t helpful, is it?”
Her stomach fluttered.
Speechless, she smiled
and shook her head.
“Well, what time are you
finished with work?”
“Five, tonight. But it
varies.”
“So if I work on the
molding after five…”
“I’ll be very grateful,”
Lauren finished.
“How about giving me your
number so next time I have a project I can find out your schedule before I
start?”
Wait? Was that a line or sarcasm? He can’t be hitting on me.
No. It made total sense
he needed her number. After all, sometimes she did have evening clients. “Okay,
you want to get a pen?”
“I’ll remember.”
Lauren’s face heated.
Yup, he’s flirting.
She wiped her clammy palm
on Jack’s back and rattled off the digits.
“I’m Gabe, by the way.”
“Hi, Gabe, and thank
you.” She turned to rush away before she agreed to more than her phone number.
“Lauren?”
Damn.
“Since you’re done with
work at five, how would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?’”
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Blind Love Trailer: http://bit.ly/1JQAVju
About the Author
From daring escapes by tough women to chivalrous men swooping in to save the day, the creativity switch to Kishan Paul’s brain is always in the “on” position. If daydreaming stories were a college course, Kish would have graduated with honors.
Mother of two beautiful children, she has been married to her best friend for over seventeen years. With the help of supportive family and friends, she balances her family, a thriving counseling practice, and writing without sinking into insanity.
Her novella, Taking the Plunge, is currently available in the Love Least Expected Anthology on Amazon.
She can be found at:
Website: http://kishanpaulauthor.net
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@kishan_paul
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kishanpaul
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